April egg production climbs 3%

WASHINGTON – Egg production in the United States totaled 7.81 billion during April 2013, up 3 percent from a year ago, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Production included 6.75 billion table eggs, and 1.06 billion hatching eggs, of which 983 million were broiler-type and 78 million were egg-type, NASS reported. The total number of layers during April averaged 346 million, up 1 percent from 2012. April egg production per 100 layers climbed 1 percent to 2,260 eggs.

All layers in the US on May 1, 2013, totaled 344 million, up 1 percent from last year, according to NASS. The 344 million layers consisted of 287 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 53.2 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.17 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on May 1 gained 2 percent to average 75 eggs per 100 layers.

Egg-type chicks hatched rose 7 percent, according to NASS. Egg-type chicks hatched during April totaled 43.8 million. Eggs in incubators advanced 4 percent to 42.5 million on May 1.